Check out why the University of Wisconsin-Madison received an F grade in our Report Card below.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public university in Madison, Wisconsin with an undergraduate enrollment size of 33,585. The university is located in a medium-sized city setting within the Madison Metropolitan Area. It has a large Greek life and student club influence. Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison can attend sporting events within the university, take a relaxing stroll at Allen Centennial Gardens, enjoy the shopping and nightlife on University Avenue, and view performance art at the Overture Center for the Arts. Their official mascot is Bucky Badger. Members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison community are referred to as “Badgers.”
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers some 600 undergraduate and graduate majors and more than 9,000 courses. Notable former students include actress Jane Kaczmarek, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and aviator Charles Lindbergh.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “C” grade by <a href="https://www.whatwilltheylearn.com/schools/2725">What Will They Learn?</a> which takes into account the university’s educational prowess. Factors include composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science.
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What Will They Learn? Academic Score

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B” grade for the Average Salary of Recent Graduates. As of 2021, alumni with 0-5 years of experience after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree make $62,900 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors">Payscale</a>.
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Average Salary of Recent Graduates

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B” grade for the Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career. As of 2021, alumni with 10+ years of experience after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree make $111,400 on average according to <a href="https://www.payscale.com/college-salary-report/bachelors">Payscale</a>.
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Average Salary of Graduates Mid-Career

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B+” grade for the Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private). In 2020, 43% of graduates accumulated student debt from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
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Percent of Graduates with Debt (Federal and Private)

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “C+” grade for the Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private). In 2020, graduates accumulated $27,889 of debt on average from federal and/or private sources according to <a href="https://ticas.org/interactive-map/">The Institute for College Access &amp; Success</a>.
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Average Debt of Graduates (Federal and Private)

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “F” grade for Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff. <a href="https://hr.wisc.edu/professional-development/">The university</a> describes its &#8220;Commitment to Professional Development.&#8221;
&#8220;UW-Madison is committed to providing community focused, campuswide services that support and inspire excellence at UW-Madison.
One of the ways the university accomplishes this is by providing and fostering growth and development opportunities for all UW-Madison employees, which is a core principle of our Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) initiative. Many of the employee learning programs on campus were intentionally designed to model the EID principles.&#8221;
<a href="https://hr.wisc.edu/eid/">The university</a> describes its Engagement, Inclusion and Diversity (EID) initiative.
&#8220;We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.&#8221;
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Mandated Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Training for Staff

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “F” grade for having a Bias Response Team. Bias Reporting Systems and Response Teams are systems or teams of faculty, staff, and sometimes law enforcement.
According to <a href="https://speechfirst.org/bias-reporting-systems/">SpeechFirst</a>, students are “encouraged to report ‘bias incidents’ to these boards (or teams) in the name of inclusion and tolerance, but it’s often unclear what the school considers ‘bias’ in the first place. Overly broad or vague definitions of bias put all kinds of speech at risk of being reported – even unpopular speech which is protected by the First Amendment.”
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Bias Reporting System or Bias Response Team

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “A” grade for the Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs. Out of a list of 20 clubs (10 from each side), <a href="https://win.wisc.edu/organizations">the university</a> has six right-leaning clubs compared to six left-leaning clubs. Turning Point USA, Young America&#8217;s Foundation (YAF), College Libertarians, Students for Life, Badger Alliance for Israel, and Federalist Society are the six right-leaning clubs. Young Democratic Socialists of America, Students for Justice in Palestine, Marxist Student Association, Multicultural Club Q, Planned Parenthood Generation Action, and National Organization for Women are the six left-leaning clubs.
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Ratio of Right-Leaning Clubs to Left-Leaning Clubs

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “A” grade due to having an active and thriving <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Turning-Point-USA-at-University-of-Wisconsin-Madison-107264603970064/">Turning Point USA chapter</a>. Unfortunately, universities and Student Governments around the country often use their power to prevent certain clubs from operating on campus.
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Denied Turning Point USA Chapter

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B” grade for In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants. According to <a href="https://law.wisc.edu/daca/#:~:text=What%20financial%20support%20options%20are,institutional%20need%2Dbased%20financial%20aid.">the university</a>, &#8220;Under current state law, UW does not have the authority to grant resident tuition status to undocumented students or those with DACA, and generally, DACA students are not eligible for federal, state, or institutional need-based financial aid.&#8221;
However, the university does admit undocumented students.
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In-State Tuition for Illegal Immigrants

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “D+” grade for the Amount of Foreign Funding Received. According to <a href="https://sites.ed.gov/foreigngifts/">College Foreign Gift Reporting</a>, the total amount of foreign funding the university has received is $4,480.23 per current undergraduate student. Oftentimes, foreign parties will convey their influence by funding certain courses, activities, professors, and organizations on campus. In certain cases, universities must abide by restrictions dictated by foreign parties to receive funding. In addition, there have been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-universities-took-billions-in-unreported-foreign-funds-u-s-finds-11603226953">reports</a> that claim that universities underreport foreign funding. The figure above only takes into account reported foreign funding.
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Amount of Foreign Funding Received

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “F” grade for Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students. <a href="https://guide.wisc.edu/undergraduate/#requirementsforundergraduatestudytext">The university</a> requires students to take three credits in its &#8220;Ethnic Studies&#8221; category. According to the university, &#8220;The Ethnic Studies requirement is intended to increase understanding of the culture and contributions of persistently marginalized racial or ethnic groups in the United States, and to equip students to respond constructively to issues connected with our pluralistic society and global community. Because this increased understanding is expected to have a positive impact on campus climate, students are expected to complete this requirement within the first 60 credits of undergraduate study.&#8221;
The university lists several &#8220;Learning Outcomes&#8221; it anticipates students will embody after completion of the Ethnic Studies requirement:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Articulate how the past has affected present day circumstances regarding race and racial inequities in the U.S.&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Recognize and question cultural assumptions and knowledge claims as they relate to race and ethnicity&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Demonstrate self-awareness and empathy toward the cultural perspectives and worldviews of others&#8221;</li>
<li>&#8220;Apply course concepts to their lives outside the classroom by respectfully participating in our multicultural society&#8221;</li>
</ul>
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Required Equity, Diversity, or Inclusion Courses for Students

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “C” grade for Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes. The university has three segregated Affinity Communities (<a href="https://www.housing.wisc.edu/residence-halls/affinity-communities/essence/">Essense Black Affinity Living Experience</a>, <a href="https://www.housing.wisc.edu/residence-halls/life/inclusive-communities/gender-inclusive-housing/">Gender Inclusive Community</a>, and <a href="https://www.housing.wisc.edu/residence-halls/affinity-communities/indigenous/">Indigenous Affinity Community</a>). The university also has three segregated graduation celebrations (<a href="https://lgbt.wisc.edu/identity-community/alumni/">Rainbow Graduation</a>, <a href="https://students.nursing.wisc.edu/2022/03/07/all-campus-latinx-graduation-rsvp-by-friday-april-17/">All-Campus Latinx Graduation</a>, and <a href="https://asianamerican.wisc.edu/graduation-celebration/">Asian Graduation Celebration</a>).
The university has no segregated classes.
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Segregated Dormitories, Graduations, and Classes

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B-” grade for Protests and Canceling Speakers. Since 2021, the university has had one incident. Students <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/wisconsin-college-campus-vandalized-ahead-of-matt-walshs-speech">vandalized</a> property and even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/protesters-outside-matt-walsh-speech-shred-pages-of-bible-eat-them-walsh-responds-your-choice-america">ate Bibles</a> while protesting Matt Walsh.
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Protests and Canceling Speakers

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “F” grade for Boycotting, Divesting, and Sanctioning Israel (BDS). According to the <a href="https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/campus-divestment-resolutions">Jewish Virtual Library</a>, since the start of the 2013-14 school year, the university’s student body has introduced one piece of legislation that would require the university to divest from any Israeli company and from companies that do business with Israel. The piece of legislation passed.
Introducing these types of legislation often puts a target on Jewish and pro-Israel students and communities, fostering an environment vulnerable to antisemitism.
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Boycotting, Divesting, and Sanctioning Israel

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “C” grade for Mask and Vaccine Mandates. <a href="https://covidresponse.wisc.edu/">The university</a> encourages students, faculty, and staff to &#8220;Get vaccinated and boosted.&#8221; The university lists its justifications on its COVID-19 Response page:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Vaccination is a highly effective way to prevent illness or limit the severity of illness.</li>
<li>All students and employees are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 and flu. If you received your last COVID-19 booster or second dose in your primary series at least two months ago, you are eligible to receive a bivalent booster.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
The university encourages students, faculty, and staff to &#8220;wear a mask to protect yourself from respiratory virus infections. The university lists its justifications on its COVID-19 Response page:
<ul>
<li>&#8220;Wearing a high-quality face mask is a simple and effective way to help prevent upper respiratory viral infections, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV.</li>
<li>While supplies remain available, the university will continue to offer at no-cost masks to students and employees at the campus antigen test pick-up site.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
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Mask and Vaccine Mandates

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B” grade for the Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees. According to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Center (<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/use-the-data">IPEDS</a>), as of 2020, 10.99% of the current undergraduate student population graduate with a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) degree. Across the United States, students who graduate with STEM degrees tend to earn more on average than their other student counterparts.
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Percent of Students Graduating with STEM Degrees

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives a “B-” grade for Crime Rates in University City or Town. According to the <a href="https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a>, the Madison, Wisconsin violent crime rate was 403.55 per 100,000 people in 2018, slightly higher than the 2018 national average of 380.56 per 100,000 people. While campus safety is of utmost importance, it is also pertinent to consider the crime rates of the surrounding town or city as students often tend to venture off campus, especially after their freshman year.
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Crime Rates in University City or Town

The University of Wisconsin-Madison receives an “F” grade for Required Western Civilization Courses for Students. <a href="https://guide.wisc.edu/undergraduate/#requirementsforundergraduatestudytext">The university</a> does not require any course or category of courses designed to teach students about the history of the United States and western civilization as a whole.
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Required Western Civilization Courses for Students

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Check out why the University of Wisconsin-Madison received an F grade in our Report Card below.
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The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a public university in Madison, Wisconsin with an undergraduate enrollment size of 33,585. The university is located in a medium-sized city setting within the Madison Metropolitan Area. It has a large Greek life and student club influence. Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison can attend sporting events within the university, take a relaxing stroll at Allen Centennial Gardens, enjoy the shopping and nightlife on University Avenue, and view performance art at the Overture Center for the Arts. Their official mascot is Bucky Badger. Members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison community are referred to as “Badgers.”

The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers some 600 undergraduate and graduate majors and more than 9,000 courses. Notable former students include actress Jane Kaczmarek, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and aviator Charles Lindbergh.

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Damon Sajnani

<a href="https://african.wisc.edu/staff/damon-sajnani/">Dr. Damon Sanjani</a> is a Professor of African Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While recently he has been in the news for teaching a course called &#8220;The Problem of Whiteness&#8221;, Sanjani is far more controversial than just that class on race relations and white supremacy. He previously retweeted a tweet about assassinating Donald Trump and tweeted in support of the Dallas cop killings.

<a href="https://african.wisc.edu/staff/damon-sajnani/">Dr. Damon Sanjani</a> is a Professor of African Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While recently he has been in the news for teaching a course called "The Problem of Whiteness", Sanjani is far more controversial than just that class on race relations and white supremacy. He previously retweeted a tweet about assassinating Donald Trump and tweeted in support of the Dallas cop killings.

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Dr. Sami Schalk

<a href="https://gws.wisc.edu/staff/schalk-sami/">Dr. Sami Schalk</a> is an Associate Professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to her university biography, Schalk’s work is centered on “disability, race, and gender in contemporary American literature and culture.” Schalk has risen to prominence recently due to her racially inflammatory remarks and sympathy towards rioters tearing down statues.
In a now-deleted exchange and series of tweets, Schalk <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article/prof-who-said-white-people-take-up-space-now-says-whites-cant-decide-whats-racist/14268" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that white people can’t decide what is racist: 
“This is your semi-annual reminder that white people do not get to determine what is &amp; is not racist. If a person of color calls you racist, it’s probably bc [because] you did something racist whether you can recognize it or not. Now back to your regular scheduled programming.” 
She later tweeted that only white people cannot live in the sun, writing, &#8220;Out of the sun. You know they got destroyed by the thing that keeps everything else on this planet alive&#8230;&#8221;
Schalk is also a vocal advocate of the riots that destroyed statues in Madison. In a series of tweets, she vaguely <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/u-wisconsin-madison-professor-cheers-protesters-tearing-down-statues-honoring-abolitionist-womens-progress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> that the “uprising” would continue if the rioters&#8217; demands weren’t met. If there was any ambiguity to her beliefs, she then tweeted that people don’t have anything else to do “but disrupt the f*** out of this city” and that the city of Madison should defund the police. 
Published in 2020

<a href="https://gws.wisc.edu/staff/schalk-sami/">Dr. Sami Schalk</a> is an Associate Professor in the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to her university biography, Schalk’s work is centered on “disability, race, and gender in contemporary American literature and culture.” Schalk has risen to prominence recently due to her racially inflammatory remarks and sympathy towards rioters tearing down statues.

In a now-deleted exchange and series of tweets, Schalk <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article/prof-who-said-white-people-take-up-space-now-says-whites-cant-decide-whats-racist/14268" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> that white people can’t decide what is racist: 

“This is your semi-annual reminder that white people do not get to determine what is &amp; is not racist. If a person of color calls you racist, it’s probably bc [because] you did something racist whether you can recognize it or not. Now back to your regular scheduled programming.” 

She later tweeted that only white people cannot live in the sun, writing, "Out of the sun. You know they got destroyed by the thing that keeps everything else on this planet alive..."

Schalk is also a vocal advocate of the riots that destroyed statues in Madison. In a series of tweets, she vaguely <a href="https://www.thecollegefix.com/u-wisconsin-madison-professor-cheers-protesters-tearing-down-statues-honoring-abolitionist-womens-progress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threatened</a> that the “uprising” would continue if the rioters' demands weren’t met. If there was any ambiguity to her beliefs, she then tweeted that people don’t have anything else to do “but disrupt the f*** out of this city” and that the city of Madison should defund the police. 
Published in 2020

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<a href="https://counselingpsych.education.wisc.edu/fac-staff/budge-stephanie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Budge</a> is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and founder of the Trans CARE Collaborative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
According to its website, the <a href="https://trl.education.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans Counseling Advocacy Research and Education (CARE) Collaborative</a> is a “group of social justice driven community members and academics conducting research that affirms the experiences of Two-spirit, trans, nonbinary (2STNB), gender-nonconforming, and gender diverse individuals.”
Budge’s personal <a href="https://trl.education.wisc.edu/people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biography</a> on the website says her research “focuses on improving medical and psychotherapeutic treatments (and access to care) for 2STNB clients.” On campus, Budge “promotes 2STNB advocacy on campus by providing workshops to students, faculty, and staff related to navigating gender identity within a university environment.”
In a 2017 article about the lab, <a href="https://isthmus.com/news/news/uw-madison-lab-pioneering-research-transgender/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isthmus</a> wrote, “Members of the lab aren’t shy about their advocacy and activism &#8211; something that is unusual in research. Budge isn’t concerned about tainting the lab’s work or how some might view it as biased.”
Budge told the newspaper:
“I think all research is biased in some way, shape or form. It’s just what you do to ensure that all of that is out on the table. We’re really transparent about what we do, so I’m not really concerned about [our work coming across as biased].” 
Budge is also the Director of the Advancing Health Equity and Diversity (AHEAD) program in the School of Medicine and Public Health. The <a href="https://ictr.wisc.edu/ahead-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AHEAD program</a> is a “career development program for UW-Madison scholars, especially those from backgrounds typically underrepresented in medical science, interested in health equity research hosted by the Collaborative Center for Health Equity.”
In March 2023, Budge—along with dozens of other professors—signed a “<a href="https://www.gamcstatement.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Statement Regarding Laws Restricting Gender Affirming Medical Care</a>.” The statement focuses on two key points:
“First, there is consensus in the field, and amongst these signatories, that gender affirming medical care is important and beneficial for many transgender youth. Second, we do not support laws restricting access to gender affirmative care.” 
The signatories conclude their <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=21908" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>:
“We write this letter to make our position on this crystal clear: The signatories below all believe, based on the current evidence, that gender affirmative care is an important part of many transgender adolescents’ overall care, and that states and health systems should not restrict access to that care.”
&nbsp;
Published &#8211; April 17, 2023

<a href="https://counselingpsych.education.wisc.edu/fac-staff/budge-stephanie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephanie Budge</a> is an Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and founder of the Trans CARE Collaborative at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

According to its website, the <a href="https://trl.education.wisc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans Counseling Advocacy Research and Education (CARE) Collaborative</a> is a “group of social justice driven community members and academics conducting research that affirms the experiences of Two-spirit, trans, nonbinary (2STNB), gender-nonconforming, and gender diverse individuals.”

Budge’s personal <a href="https://trl.education.wisc.edu/people/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biography</a> on the website says her research “focuses on improving medical and psychotherapeutic treatments (and access to care) for 2STNB clients.” On campus, Budge “promotes 2STNB advocacy on campus by providing workshops to students, faculty, and staff related to navigating gender identity within a university environment.”

In a 2017 article about the lab, <a href="https://isthmus.com/news/news/uw-madison-lab-pioneering-research-transgender/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isthmus</a> wrote, “Members of the lab aren’t shy about their advocacy and activism - something that is unusual in research. Budge isn’t concerned about tainting the lab’s work or how some might view it as biased.”

Budge told the newspaper:
“I think all research is biased in some way, shape or form. It’s just what you do to ensure that all of that is out on the table. We’re really transparent about what we do, so I’m not really concerned about [our work coming across as biased].” 
Budge is also the Director of the Advancing Health Equity and Diversity (AHEAD) program in the School of Medicine and Public Health. The <a href="https://ictr.wisc.edu/ahead-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AHEAD program</a> is a “career development program for UW-Madison scholars, especially those from backgrounds typically underrepresented in medical science, interested in health equity research hosted by the Collaborative Center for Health Equity.”

In March 2023, Budge—along with dozens of other professors—signed a “<a href="https://www.gamcstatement.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Statement Regarding Laws Restricting Gender Affirming Medical Care</a>.” The statement focuses on two key points:
“First, there is consensus in the field, and amongst these signatories, that gender affirming medical care is important and beneficial for many transgender youth. Second, we do not support laws restricting access to gender affirmative care.” 
The signatories conclude their <a href="https://www.campusreform.org/article?id=21908" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>:
“We write this letter to make our position on this crystal clear: The signatories below all believe, based on the current evidence, that gender affirmative care is an important part of many transgender adolescents’ overall care, and that states and health systems should not restrict access to that care.”
&nbsp;
Published - April 17, 2023

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<a href="https://www.surgery.wisc.edu/staff/katherine-gast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Katherine Gast</a> is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. According to her university profile, she provides a wide range of services including “Breast Reconstruction,” “Chest Wall and Thoracic Reconstruction,” and “Lower Extremity Reconstruction.”
Dr. Gast and her colleague Dr. Jay Lick are being sued by a 23-year-old woman who said the doctors <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2023/11/03/woman-sues-uw-hospital-over-gender-affirming-surgeries/71437329007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">performed gender-altering surgeries on her without proper consent</a>. The woman stated that she self-diagnosed herself with gender dysphoria as a teenager but was never diagnosed by doctors.
According to the lawsuit, the patient had a “series of traumatizing events within her childhood home, including being sexually abused.” She was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. After self-diagnosing herself with gender dysphoria at age 17, she was prescribed testosterone in Chicago.
At 19, she <a href="https://madison.com/news/local/business/health-care/woman-says-uw-doctors-performed-gender-altering-surgeries-without-proper-consent/article_ff7bd30a-79ab-11ee-82bc-8fefeb60d060.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received a hysterectomy</a> performed by Dr. Jay Lick. Later, in February 2021, the patient met with Dr. Gast to discuss a double mastectomy. Dr. Gast performed the surgery that August, despite the patient’s “young age, continued anxiety, and PTSD.” Neither doctor evaluated the woman’s self-reported gender dysphoria.
In 2023, the patient says she “began questioning why (the doctors) so strongly and quickly ushered her down the path of irreversible surgical interventions, without ever even considering a psychological intervention.”
The lawsuit argues the UW doctors “recklessly, if not intentionally, overlooked or ignored her psychological history to justify their approach to treating her, a young woman confused about her gender identity and experiencing current and known mental distress.”
The woman’s attorney, Daniel Cragg of Eckland &amp; Blando in Minneapolis, said his office hopes to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/uw-gave-gender-transition-surgeries-without-proper-consent-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rectify the alleged personal injury matter</a>. He said, “We’re not doing this as a (public relations) maneuver like a lot of the detransitioner cases are. This is a straight personal injury (medical-malpractice) case.”
The lawsuit also “alleges malpractice and failure to obtain informed consent by both doctors, negligence by the hospital and discrimination under the Affordable Care Act against the doctors and the hospital.”
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Published &#8211; November 7, 2023

<a href="https://www.surgery.wisc.edu/staff/katherine-gast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr. Katherine Gast</a> is an Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. According to her university profile, she provides a wide range of services including “Breast Reconstruction,” “Chest Wall and Thoracic Reconstruction,” and “Lower Extremity Reconstruction.”

Dr. Gast and her colleague Dr. Jay Lick are being sued by a 23-year-old woman who said the doctors <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/health/2023/11/03/woman-sues-uw-hospital-over-gender-affirming-surgeries/71437329007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">performed gender-altering surgeries on her without proper consent</a>. The woman stated that she self-diagnosed herself with gender dysphoria as a teenager but was never diagnosed by doctors.

According to the lawsuit, the patient had a “series of traumatizing events within her childhood home, including being sexually abused.” She was diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. After self-diagnosing herself with gender dysphoria at age 17, she was prescribed testosterone in Chicago.

At 19, she <a href="https://madison.com/news/local/business/health-care/woman-says-uw-doctors-performed-gender-altering-surgeries-without-proper-consent/article_ff7bd30a-79ab-11ee-82bc-8fefeb60d060.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received a hysterectomy</a> performed by Dr. Jay Lick. Later, in February 2021, the patient met with Dr. Gast to discuss a double mastectomy. Dr. Gast performed the surgery that August, despite the patient’s “young age, continued anxiety, and PTSD.” Neither doctor evaluated the woman’s self-reported gender dysphoria.

In 2023, the patient says she “began questioning why (the doctors) so strongly and quickly ushered her down the path of irreversible surgical interventions, without ever even considering a psychological intervention.”

The lawsuit argues the UW doctors “recklessly, if not intentionally, overlooked or ignored her psychological history to justify their approach to treating her, a young woman confused about her gender identity and experiencing current and known mental distress.”

The woman’s attorney, Daniel Cragg of Eckland &amp; Blando in Minneapolis, said his office hopes to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/uw-gave-gender-transition-surgeries-without-proper-consent-lawsuit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rectify the alleged personal injury matter</a>. He said, “We’re not doing this as a (public relations) maneuver like a lot of the detransitioner cases are. This is a straight personal injury (medical-malpractice) case.”

The lawsuit also “alleges malpractice and failure to obtain informed consent by both doctors, negligence by the hospital and discrimination under the Affordable Care Act against the doctors and the hospital.”

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Published - November 7, 2023

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